St. Xavier suffers first loss of season

Scott Springer with a look at Friday's football festivities Oct. 20.
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St. Xavier wide receiver Andrew Wittrock (12) eyes a bobbled pass in the fourth quarter during the high school football game between the Elder Panthers and St. Xavier Bombers, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, at St. Xavier High School in Springfield Township, Ohio. (Photo: The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar)Buy Photo

The state’s top-ranked team in Division I lost 28-14 to Cleveland St. Ignatius, Friday afternoon, at Byers Field in Parma.

The Bombers, who carried a 14-game winning streak into the contest, fell behind 7-0 late in the first quarter on a 75-yard touchdown run by Wildcats junior Jahadge Floyd. St. Ignatius added a 31-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Alexander to Samuel Snyder early in the second quarter to pull ahead by two scores. St. Xavier was never able to fully recover.

St. X broke through with an Andrew Wittrock 22-yard touchdown reception with 1:14 to go in the first half, but the ensuing extra point failed and they entered the locker room down 14-6.

The Wildcats (8-1) added a pair of Alexander touchdown runs midway through the third quarter to pull away.

A Chase Wolf touchdown run and two-point conversion in the fourth quarter did not prompt the needed Bomber rally.

Floyd finished the day with 217 rushing yards on 36 carries. Alexander went 7 of 17 through the air for 98 yards and a score. He also added 81 yards and his two scores on the ground.

Wolf completed 19 of his 43 passes for 203 yards and a score but he was running for most of the game as the Wildcats sacked the Wisconsin commit six times. He finished the day with -18 yards on the ground.

The loss is the Bombers’ (8-1) first since October 22, 2016. That game was also against St. Ignatius – the Wildcats won that one 31-14. St. X rallied following that loss, finishing the 2016 season on a six-game win streak that included capturing the Div. I state championship in a 27-20 overtime win against St. Ignatius.

St. X closes out its regular season this coming Friday when the Bombers travel to Kentucky to face Louisville St. Xavier. According to JoeEitel.com the Bombers have already clinched the top seed in Region 4 for the postseason.